One Trick Pony

by f0xhole

Prologue

The sun shone just above the horizon over the small town of Ponyville. Few ponies were even awake, and those that were were slow and silent with their movements, hoping not to disturb anypony else. All except two…

“Rainbow, when ya offered to help out with the harvesting, I took that ta mean that you actually intended ta help out.”

A cyan, rainbow-maned pegasus peeked her head over the edge of the low hanging cloud she had been lying on. Looking down, she saw a bright orange earth pony, wearing her trademark Stetson and with three apples adorning her flank.

“Chill out, Applejack,” she said, smirking. “I could get this done in five minutes if I wanted to. I’m not in any rush.”

“Well, while Ah appreciate your incredible modesty, I would like to get this done preferably before the cows come home!” Applejack said with a slight snarl.

One of the cows in the next paddock stuck her head up. “Ooohh, don’t worry about that Applejack,” she drawled. “We’ll take as long as myooou need.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Er, that’s not really what I…” Applejack sighed. “Thanks, Mooriel.”

“Aw, come on AJ, relax! You’re not worried about what ponies will say if you mess up the one thing you’re good at, are you?”

“No, of course no…” Applejack turned back to Rainbow. “What do you mean, the ‘one thing I’m good at’?

Rainbow laughed. “Oh, come on, Applejack, look at yourself! Name one thing you can do that isn’t apples.”

Applejack was taken aback. “W-well, I can cook the best darn fritters an’ pies y’all ever tasted! An’ I can outrun and out wrestle anypony, anytime!” she said, silently congratulating herself on her recovery.

Rainbow threw her hands up to her face in an exaggerated expression of awe. “Oh, my! So not only can you pick apples, you can also cook apples! Oh, Applejack, you’re my hero!” She laughed. “Oh, wait, you can also run; just like, oh, I don’t know, everypony else?”

Applejack brow furrowed deeper than she thought possible. “Now hold on! You’re always goin’ on about how you’re the fastest around, ya hypocritical varmint!”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Hey, I’m not a hippo… hipa…that! Besides, of course I can say that stuff; I’m the best remember?” Rainbow laughed. “Face it, Applejack! You’re a one trick pony!”

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“A one trick pony!?”

Applejack was still fuming hours later. “I can’t believe that lazy, good-fer-nothin’ would accuse me of not bein’ a hard worker!”

“Oh, come on now, AJ,” Big Mac drawled. “Ah’m sure she never meant it like that.”

“Oh? Well, then, why don’t you tell me just how she meant it, since you’re so smart?!” Applejack said, her face pressed up against Big Mac’s own.

Big Mac shifted uncomfortably. “Well, ah… ah’m sure she just meant that maybe you’re a little too…” he hesitated as Applejack’s eyebrows lowered. “…too, uh…focused?” he finished, the twitch of a nervous grin starting to appear on his face.

“Too focused? How exactly does one go about bein’ ‘too focused’?”

“I think what Big Macintosh is sayin’ is, you should try somethin’ new!” squealed a small yellow filly with a red mane, tied in a bow.

Applejack looked over to her. “Applebloom, shouldn’t you be in bed by now?”

“Don’t change the subject, missy. We’re talkin’ about you here!” Applebloom said, trying her best to look intimidating.

Applejack considered telling her off for that, but in the end she decided to humour her. “Alright then, Applebloom. What kind of new things should I try?”

“Ah dunno. But me and Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle have been trying EVERYTHING we can think of!” Applebloom gasped. “Oh my gosh. Maybe you could come with us, tomorrow! You could be an honorary CUTIE MARK CRUSADER, YAY!”

Applejack and Big Macintosh winced, glad that the other members of Applebloom’s little club weren’t there; the yelling would have been even more unbearable that way.

“Even supposing Ah did think it was a good idea, Ah can’t just up and leave the farm to take a day off.”

Big Macintosh shook his head. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. Why, with all the work you got done today, I’d say you’ve earned a day or two to yourself.”

Applejack grumbled slightly at this. True to her word, Rainbow had taken care of her portion of the orchard in nearly record time, which only added to the sting. She looked up out the window, with a determined look on her face.

“Alright, fine! Ah’m gonna take tomorrow off and prove to Rainbow that Ah got plenty of tricks up my hooves!”

Comments

[Maud Pie]

Nice setup, but it's a little flawed... Couldn't Rainbow Dash accuse anyone of the exact same thing? Except Rarity, maybe. And PInkie Pie, of course... And a few others.